In 2005, the Portland Metro Council launched Nature in Neighborhoods, ushering in an era of public/private innovation, investment and collaboration. Projects range from neighbors volunteering on small restoration projects on the region's creeks and rivers to multi-year professional habitat enhancement efforts and everything in-between.
“A problem with conventional subdivision loop and curl street patterns is that they inhibit walking and are disorienting and confusing to pedestrians as well as to drivers. They provide tranquility, safety and security at the expense of connectivity. They control traffic well but often create bottlenecks at peak times in predictable spots. The Fused Grid uses a continuous grid of roads for district and regional connectivity and a discontinuous grid of streets for neighbourhood safety,” stated Fanis Grammenos.
“Integrated Landscaping: Following Nature's Lead”, a collaboration among four New Hampshire women, promises a new way of thinking about shaping home grounds and public spaces in the Northeas United Statest.
In 1841, Andrew Jackson Downing published the first landscape-gardening book aimed at an American audience. If Downing came back today, what would he think of our lawns? Presumably, the neatness of our pigless yards would impress him. But it is hard not to feel that he would, at least, be ambivalent. As the anti-lawnists correctly observe, the American lawn now represents a serious civic problem.
Located near Shawnigan Lake, O.U.R. Ecovillage began operations in 1999 with a mandate to create a model demonstration sustainable village community rooted in social, ecological, and economic well being. People from all walks of life and all ages are able to benefit from educational services on redesigned sustainable modes of living, delivered on the location in a healthy, supportive, and operational Ecovillage.
About 1/3 of the urban landscape is typically covered by road rights-of-way. This creates opportunities to capture rain where it falls and restore it to natural hydrologic pathways. Delta is planting an urban forest to mitigate climate change. Delta has set a goal to plant 20,100 trees by the year 2010.
There are reasons galore for planting more trees and they are all around us. Trees not only beautify and stabilize neighborhoods, they're also investments.
A kinder, gentler generation of playgrounds is slowly taking root. They're user-friendly and green, showing how environmental sustainability can be built into the most modest chunks of urban infrastructure.
Lancashire Economic Partnership hosted a seminar that explored how residents can maximise the benefits of living and working within a stone’s throw of the outstanding countryside that is unique to Lancashire. The seminar looked at how the countryside can be made more accessible to Lancashire’s residents and visitors and also what the economic as well as social and environmental benefits would be from creating a more linked network of green spaces.
Trees are becoming increasingly more valuable to cities interested in reducing their impact on the environment. Trees can cut energy use and reduce rainwater run-off and pollution.
